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Huws: Big Year For Me and Big Year For the Club
Wednesday, 26th Aug 2020 10:58

Fully-fit-midfielder Emyr Huws is anxious to make up for lost time in the forthcoming season, which could be his last at Portman Road.

The Welsh international — he made his senior debut back in 2014 after also representing his country at U17, U19 and U21 levels — is in the final few 12 months of the four-year Town deal he signed in June 2017 upon his arrival from Cardiff City.

It has been an injury-plagued stay at Portman Road for the Llanelli-born player, who has managed just 22 league appearances, eight of them off the bench since signing permanently with a further eight in various cup competitions.

Huws, 26, is praying he can stay injury-free and add his weight to Town’s promotion challenge as they look to put last season’s disappointment of finally finishing 11th, despite a promising start that saw them top the League One table and then recapture pole position in January before the rot well and truly set in.

He said: “It’s a big year for me and it’s a big year for the club. We’ve got to do the job and get it done. We are hungry for promotion and the vibe within the group is really positive. We are feeling really good about ourselves.”

The enforced premature end to last season came when Huws had clocked up 25 appearances in all competitions, by far his best run in Town’s colours since impressing sufficiently during a loan spell in the second half of the 2016/17 season that saw then manager Mick McCarthy waste little time in making the deal permanent.

The player, who launched his career at Manchester City and also had loan spells at Northampton, Birmingham, Wigan and Huddersfield, added: “If I could have picked a time to have the break I could have done with it happening when I was out injured.

“But it is what it is and I have tried to use it to my advantage. We’ve all had to cope, not just as footballers, and try to spin it positively. We’re back now and we’re all really excited for the first game of the season and we just want to keep building on things and build some momentum in what’s left of pre-season.”


Huws missed last weekend’s visit to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but was a second-half substitute in Town’s only home warm-up fixture, yesterday’s 4-1 home defeat by a strong West Ham side at Portman Road, which was played behind closed doors in line with current procedure throughout the senior game.

He made an instant impact, providing the assist for Freddie Sears to score Town’s only goal against his former side. “It was a good ball to me from Iddy [Idris El Mizouni] and Searsy held his run nicely.

“We’ve been working on those kinds of patterns a lot. It can seem a bit boring at times but it’s worth it when they come off like that. That’s what we have to do and we’ll continue to do it.

“I thought we did well and what we’ve been working on in training is translating nicely to the pitch. We need to learn quickly from our mistakes and I think we will. Put those right and I think we look in good shape.”

Asked what the team had learned from successive games against Premier League opposition in the space of three days, he replied: “That the gap, in my opinion, isn’t that great but there is an element of being clinical at the top end of the pitch. I think that’s what I’ve seen.

“There were silly mistakes by us in both games, the one at Tottenham as well as the West Ham one, so I think if we stop doing those we look good.

“We have had various combinations in midfield through pre-season and I think things are coming together.

“We’re working a lot in training on positioning, tackling etc and we know what each other are doing. There’s a lot more kind of synchronisation in areas and I think it is working, so we’ll continue to improve on that and I think we’re looking and feeling positive.”

Given last season’s propensity for personnel and system changes, one noticeable feature of Town’s warm-up programme has been to approach all games, including the double-header at Colchester, in a similar fashion, even adhering to the 4-3-3 formation after the introduction of substitutes.

Huws continued: “What you work on in training is what you want to take into games. That’s what we’re doing and we’re sticking with it, and the games have been great. If you take the mistakes away it has been really, really positive and exactly what we’ve been working on.

“When the gaffer first came in it was really good and a breath of fresh air from where we were at the time. We’re sticking with that now and we’re going to keep practicing it.

“I think we’re all happier with it and feeling good about it, and when we take it on to the pitch we’re a lot more confident in each other. We know where we’re supposed to be, it feels good and I’m enjoying it.”

Addressing the competition for midfield places, he added: “Yes, it’s there and there’s no getting around it. I think everyone has been playing well in pre-season and the best men will play in the games.

“I feel I’m finally over my injury problems. There were parts of last season when I was still in a mode where I was still coming back, one of those where you’re trying to get through things.

“But it’s not like that now, it’s about performing and winning rather than surviving, and that’s a nice feeling to have.

“As a team we’re looking fit, have been training hard and we’re going to take that into the season and start on the front foot.”

Huw is now one of five Welshmen in the Blues squad along with Gwion Edwards, James Wilson, Adam Przybek and new keeper David Cornell, who signed last week having left Northampton earlier in the summer.

“Dai’s top man, a good goalkeeper, another good signing for us,” Huws added.

“We’re excited for the first game of the season and just want to keep building on things and building some momentum.”


Photos: TWTD/Matchday Images



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Counagoal added 11:16 - Aug 26
I feel if huws is back to his best he would genuinely be one of the best players in league one. The only thing would be how long he can remain fit for or can get back to playing his best football.
23

dirtydingusmagee added 11:25 - Aug 26
Counagoal , i think you are right, his fitness is always going to be a worry though, as with a couple of other players. But lets hope he has a good season .
11

Len_Brennan added 11:26 - Aug 26
Could be a massive player for us in the 3 man midfield this season, alongside Downes & Bishop preferably.
18

BrixtonBlue added 11:39 - Aug 26
Practice makes perfect!
1

Pencilpete added 11:42 - Aug 26
Agree a fully fit and firing Emyr Huws would be the best midfielder in League one but thats what he needs to be
11

bobble added 11:55 - Aug 26
like judge he is all froth and not much substance...
1

PortmanTerrorist added 11:56 - Aug 26
Bishop, Downes (being progressive) and Huws when he came on looked a cut above the rest of our team yesterday....though Freddie deserves a mention for his goal despite being played out wide again !

Build the team around those 3 and keep your fingers crossed Downes does not get sold this/next month and that the other 2 can stay fit. Not a given on any of them.
6

terryf added 12:00 - Aug 26
I agree with Len if he's on the money then playing him in a three with Downes and Bishop is a must..

Teddy's another one who needs to keep fit though.
8

brendenward35 added 12:03 - Aug 26
If he and Bishop can stay fit then we have a really good midfield than can provide goals and also good service to the striker(s) but its IF they can, keeping everything crossed. Get our defense sorted and stop playing silly stuff at the back then maybe a possibility of getting back into the championship.
5

TimmyH added 12:06 - Aug 26
I think it's been a 'big year' for Emyr for the last couple of seasons but generally ends up the same way...
3

ArnieM added 12:17 - Aug 26
Huws......”big year for me “ .... { translation} I'm nearing the end of my cushy 4 year deal with Town where I've rarely played and now I need to start to raise my profile if I'm to get another cushy contract “
3

MickMillsTash added 12:43 - Aug 26
Can score goals which seems a rarity from our midfield so should start if fit. Has some height which is useful in a short team.
Thought he was good at Oxford, could see him playing behind Norwood with Sears and Jackson wider.
Could also see his knee crumbling in game 2 and us never hearing about him again
1

rabbit added 12:49 - Aug 26
Positive interview from EH hopefully he will contribute to a much more progressive/aggressive mid field this season, providing the defence performs to at least the same standard as last year, having proved even through a dreadful run, that they still conceded less goals than all but three teams out of the ten ahead of them.
All down to the forwards to convert the chances and lets see, fingers crossed, ITFC supporters certainly deserve a little joy after the dreadful years since Joe Royal's tenancy.
3

Jesney_Havoc added 12:58 - Aug 26
All gong and no dinner i'm afraid.
0

JamestownPrince added 13:01 - Aug 26
I was calling him a few names in English and Dutch after this, night of the Bataclan murders so a friendly draw against the Welsh didn't matter in the scheme of life.

0

Sixto6 added 13:34 - Aug 26
Another stating the blooming obvious interview.
Only really interested in the “it's been a big year for me and the club” after Emyr has played 30+ games and scored 6-8 goals and we've been promoted !

Downes & Huws + 1 of Dozzell, Bishop or Judge is plenty of talent to get back in the championship !
We just need a manager who can get them playing.

1. Holy
2. KVY
3. Ward
4. New CB or Ndaba (Just not captain calamity)
5. Wolf
6. Downes (c)
7. Bishop
8. Downes
9. Jackson
10. Norwood (obviously once he's finished playing golf)
11. Sears

If that team plays 30+ games each and the likes of Judge, Dozzell & Hawkins on the bench, we won't be far from the top of the league.
4

mike added 13:48 - Aug 26
Whose the other Downes in your line up?
5

JamestownPrince added 13:54 - Aug 26
He is a Wally ....

Wally Downes :-)
0

Sixto6 added 14:02 - Aug 26
Haha actually forgot the player the article was about 😂
8. Huws
0

runningout added 14:02 - Aug 26
Like rest of team. Could benefit with decent signings around him. Time to turn our powderpuff into powerhouses
2

rugbytomc added 14:35 - Aug 26
We have the same midfielders as last season. We now have the likes of el mizouni, dobra and a fit again lankester. If lambert is going to resist the temptation to resist and play players out of position, then a lot of these guys will be on the bench or not even in the squad. Ideally we want someone to make an offer for huws and judge-based on getting their wages off the books not quality. Nolan can go for nothing-he's deffo my last of our pick of midfielders
0

DifferentGravy added 15:44 - Aug 26
Haha! Nice sixto6.....like that line up.
1

Jonaldo added 16:22 - Aug 26
I am sure he's a nice guy, and maybe he's just been unlucky, but......

He needs a few BIG performances or who will salvage him from the ridiculous depths of wages capped League 1 (which will become a graveyard for unwanted players post full application of that policy)
0

dirtydingusmagee added 16:24 - Aug 26
at the end of the day its about playing players in form, and in right position , unfortunately Lambert dosnt seem to get his head around that, A lot of fans still remain hopeful hope they are not too disappointed, i feel it will be same old ,and another season of pain . Hope im wrong .
4

Steve_D added 18:45 - Aug 26
Did he actually say the gap isn't that great , heavens above
1


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